During the winter months I've been busy learning how to film and edit movies. This is a side shoot of my photography, which I hope will complement my travel and landscape work. I started out using the excellent video capabilities of my Nikon D810, and found this big heavy camera was fine for tripod shots but for quicker moving handheld filming I really needed something lighter and more manoeuvrable. So I upgraded my iPhone to the 7+, which allows for 4K video, and acquired a DJI Osmo Gimbal to balance the phone like a steadicam when I was walking round. After plenty of practice in the local parks and on my Peak District walks I decided to try to put together my first short film. I've always loved the architecture of Salford Quays, especially when its all lit up, and I hit on the idea of filming that time when the lights start to come on but its not yet dark, known by photographers as 'blue hour'. Off I went on the tram one afternoon last week - it turned out to be the start of Storm Doris, unfortunately! - and wandered around trying to capture the sights as people started to drift home from work, the clouds gathered and the Quays were gradually illuminated. I shot a timelapse, compressing the time it took for the lights to come on into 11 seconds, over 30 minutes: this was tricky, as although I had my phone on a tripod the wind which heralded the approaching storm was really getting up by then and I had to huddle over it to shield the phone. A wobbly timelapse wasn't what I had in mind! I had a kind of cool jazzy music track in mind the accompany the images, and shot the film at just a little slower then reality to get a dreamlike feel. I spotted one guy walking in front of me with a long slow stride, and followed him - I thought his stride would go well with my chosen music - you can see him in the film, carrying a bright yellow bag. Cheers, whoever you are - you helped me out there!